Clinton said Saturday she will leave Wisconsin a day earlier than previously planned.

KENOSHA, Wisconsin (CNN) - Hillary Clinton is preparing to take her nomination fight all the way through June and to the Democratic convention in Denver, she told reporters in Wisconsin Saturday.

"I campaigned with my husband until he wrapped up this nomination in June [of 1992]," she said at a press conference here. "I thought it was fun. I had a good time. I am prepared to go the distance."

Her comments echoed those of campaign adviser Harold Ickes, who said on a conference call earlier in the day that neither candidate will earn the 2,025 pledged delegates needed to win the nomination, and that the 796 party insiders known as superdegates should be able to discern on their own which candidate can best "carry the ticket" in November.

Clinton argued that the superdelegates are "supposed to exercise independent judgement" and "make their decisions based on anything they choose to base it on."

"That is their role," she said.

This year's protracted nomination fight, Clinton said, is good for party excitement and is hardly out of the ordinary in American political history.

"I know some of you have only covered the '04 and 2000 campaign, which were really kind of anomalies," she said. "The nominees were determined early. But that's not the usual pattern. My husband didn't wrap up the nomination in '92 until June. And usually it takes a while to sort all this out."

The New York senator said she will urge her delegates at the convention to seat the delegations from Michigan and Florida, who voted for Sen. Clinton but had been previously stripped of their convention votes by the Democratic National Committee for holding early primaries.

"If there are contested delegations, the convention votes on them. Those are the rules," she said.

soundoff(207 Responses)

Norman Miller

Obviously, following the rules is not in your play book. Your essentially saying that you don't care what the people want. Hillary... you are not moral enough to be President. I have had enough of you. I want a President who knows the difference between what is right and wrong and it isn't you. I for one, am ditching you and going to Obama's corner.

February 17, 2008 12:07 am at 12:07 am |

George

Its a whole a lot easier for the Junior Senator to criticize Senator Clinton because he has only two years of a experience versus thirty something years of legacy.

February 17, 2008 12:07 am at 12:07 am |

S. Holt

The race will be over before June, Senator Clinton. You are not focusing on the Democratic Party, you are focusing on Bill and Hillary. If by chance, those votes from Michigan and Florida are even considered at the convention. .. there will be chaos you have never imagined. You and Barack and the DNC chose to eliminate them. Then you take your canoe and decide to give them a silent voice. Now, you want them counted. I don't think so. You don't make the rules and you don't change the rules to benifit The Clinton campaign. All your followers are living in a cloud, and it will rain on you and your parade. Be careful what you wish for.

February 17, 2008 12:08 am at 12:08 am |

Mary- Lawrence KS

Super Delegates have been around a long time (since the 80's, I believe). Whether you like it or not, Obama shouldn't say on one hand that Super Delegate's rules be changed so that they must vote "the will of the people" and then on the other hand say that Hillary can't ask for Michigan and Florida to be seated.... not the will of the people. If you want to follow the rules that are place, then follow ALLl of the rules as they were set before this election started.... before Michigan and Florida got punished. Both candidates seem to be positioning themselves to want to control the outcome of the race by which rules they believe are fair and which are not. It has always been the case that Super Delegates are not bound to vote as their constituencies voted. If there is a precedence/rule of seating delegates for states that were previously punished, then go by how it was.... don't make up rules mid-game..... it smells very badly with the voters. Lay out what the rules are to us so that we understand them and don't change them until after this election. It would be a huge disservice to the Democratic Party to not find a way to give Michigan and Florida voters a voice at the convention.... it would be a huge disservice to require Super Delegate to vote a specific way.... why would we even have Super Delegates if their expertise isn't needed?

February 17, 2008 12:09 am at 12:09 am |

Sandra

Is CNN going to post my comment? Or just run these pro-Clinton articles without any comments as CNN has done all day? Obama will still win and CNN will lose viewer trust as a result.

February 17, 2008 12:12 am at 12:12 am |

Truth hurts

No, Senator Clinton, you meant to say that you were prepared to win at all cost, even it translates into the destruction of your opponent, and worse, the (your) democratic party. What ego?

February 17, 2008 12:12 am at 12:12 am |

e man

she's going the distance.
she's going for speed.
She's all alone, all alone in her time of need.

February 17, 2008 12:13 am at 12:13 am |

raj

sure what a loser why do not win and say it.

February 17, 2008 12:14 am at 12:14 am |

Seth

Thank God! I was really beginning to worry that because of blatantly biased reporting like that of CNN and others, she would bow out. But Hillary is a fighter, someone who really cares about the people. Obama on the other hand is the biggest fake we have seen in generations. Preying on the hopes and dreams of not only everyday Americans, but big business and numerous special interests groups. I suspect that by June we will have learned more about Obama's ties to special interests and his willingness to be bought by the highest bidder. I challenge CNN to start posting comments other than those of Obama fanatics!

February 17, 2008 12:15 am at 12:15 am |

David

Wow... she is embaressing herself. The race was hers to lose and she lost magnificantly. Inept doesn't really cover it.

Hopefully this will be the last we see of Hillary Clinton.

February 17, 2008 12:15 am at 12:15 am |

Sarah Smith

Hello Everyone! Obama won't debate Hillary because it's free air time for her..

he has the money to buy his own airtime, she does not..

he's not going to accept her invites to debate because it's just free hot air time for her.

I think it's really too much to see Bill and Chelsea all over the place as if they are going to make a difference.. as if this country wants to see more of THEM ALL for 4 years – in OUR FACE !!!

Please NO!! Basta! Enough! Go away!

Let us MOVE ON!

February 17, 2008 12:17 am at 12:17 am |

Siobhan Perrow

Hillary is in Ohio saying she is against the trade agreement for the White Blue Collar worker, then she goes down to the Border of Texas and tell the Latinos she on thier side... pure trade agreement. Anything to win! I don't want her or Obama or McCain, nor a Ron Paul. I want a President for the people of America. If you catch a person lying we the people should stop them and say "No More"...If we sit the whole dam day out maybe they will listen!

February 17, 2008 12:17 am at 12:17 am |

JBVoter

I would lose respect for Hillary Clinton if she does not go the distance. We are counting on her to change this country for the better, the best that we all can share. People around the world are counting on Hillary Clinton. Go, Go, Go HIllary!

February 17, 2008 12:18 am at 12:18 am |

mike d.

"If there are contested delegations, the convention votes on them. Those are the rules," she said.
YOU ALREADY VOTED AGAINST THEM!

February 17, 2008 12:20 am at 12:20 am |

Jerry

the delegates from Michigan and Florida cannot be seated at the convention. the DNC stripped those states of their delegates well before those primaries happened. all of the other candidates promised the DNC that they would NOT campaign there, and did not. Senator Clinton thinks that she can break and then change the rules after the fact when things aren't going her way. If Senator Clinton was so concerned about those voters being disenfranchised why didn't she speak up when the states ignored the DNC rules and moved their primary dates up. She didn't speak up because she was planning on ignoring party rules and campaign in those states anyway and then raise this stink about voter rights if she fell behind as she has.

those states will need to hold new primaries or caucuses if they want delegations seated in August. nuff said!

February 17, 2008 12:21 am at 12:21 am |

Tom Wittmann

THE CLINTONS HAVE DISCARDED THEIR MASKS.

Hillary factually confesses here that her intention is to supersede the ample majority of delegates which Obama will obtain in the
convention by using the vote of the establishment, meaning the superdelegates, to first to seat illegally and outrageously her invalid delegates from Florida and Michigan, and then using these delegates and the same superdelegates to nominate her !!!

TOM

February 17, 2008 12:22 am at 12:22 am |

Marla

Hang in there Hillary, folks will come to their senses.

February 17, 2008 12:23 am at 12:23 am |

Jen

Ok good, please go far far away. In fact, it would be best for our country if you, Bill, and Chelsea move to another continent.

February 17, 2008 12:23 am at 12:23 am |

nellie

there had been people calling the radio stations that obama was airing campaign ads and he tried to deny it. how can we believe him he says something and does different things. he had just reminded me of bush with double standard activities. those people in florida knew they were not going to be seated but they voted because they didn't want to be disenfranchized. they want everybody to know their votes mattered and they voted for obama also it's obvious total the count how many people voted. I think it's fair. obama can't make an excuse he didn't campaign there , there were witnesses. he is not a candidate for change . obama is a big liar himself

February 17, 2008 12:27 am at 12:27 am |

Willie

"Her comments echoed those of campaign adviser Harold Ickes, who said on a conference call earlier in the day that neither candidate will earn the 2,025 pledged delegates needed to win the nomination, and that the 796 party insiders known as superdegates should be able to discern on their own which candidate can best "carry the ticket" in November."

Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees the hypocracy of Clinton honoring the voice of voters in Michigan and Florida by insisting that their votes count on one hand, and proposing that Super Delagtes be allowed to overide the will of the people across America on the other hand! Clinton will say (or do) ANYTHING TO WIN.

February 17, 2008 12:31 am at 12:31 am |

Belle

There are 49 delegates separating the two. This is a dead heat.

February 17, 2008 12:33 am at 12:33 am |

TERRENCE BILLINGS

Hillary really needs to to see if she can talk Barack into becoming his running mate, because there is no way she can win the Democratic Nomination, and I would hate for her to leave empty handed.

February 17, 2008 12:34 am at 12:34 am |

Tom Wittmann

WILL CNN AND THE MEDIA NOT REACT ADEQUATELY TO HILLARY's OUTRAGEOUS DISCLOSURE ???

TOM

February 17, 2008 12:35 am at 12:35 am |

Texasboo

Hillary is divisive and will hurt the Democratic party deeper than any other candidate will ever have. If she becomes the nom, I am writing in my candidate.

A vote for Hillary (warmonger)is a vote for McBush. Just same old politics as usual. HIllary is more conservative than McBush is, and if she becomes the Nom, it will be a continuation from Bush with Mccain. The war will never end and our economy will head into a deep recession.

As an Army vet, I will NEVER vote for a candidate that fully supported BUSH in all his WAR EFFORTS but doesn't have the responsiblity or leadership to own up to the choices made.

February 17, 2008 12:35 am at 12:35 am |

aware

Hillary the HOPE of 08 🙂

The words of peace are sweet to the ear but the hard work of justice is necessary to bring forth peace. Hillary is the best candidate to do the work of justice that will bring forth the fruit of peace.